THE Government has made capital investments of nearly $1billion in Region Five(Mahaica /Berbice) over the last five years, Minister of Housing and Water, Mr. Irfaan Ali Irfaan Ali disclosed last Thursday. He said the projects facilitated by Guyana Water Inc. (GWI) utilizing some of the massive investment are in line with the Government’s commitment.
“The access to potable water is important for health and well-being and is important for economic development,” Ali told a gathering at Bath Settlement.
He said the total $1billion represents $19,000 per capita in a population of 53,000, which allowed for the implementation of various programmes.
They include the construction of the $400M state-of-the art water treatment plant at Cotton Tree, in West Coast Berbice, too; installation of the $17M electricity transmission main at Bath, Block D and the drilling of a new $60M well at De Hoop, East Coast Demerara.
Ali said works are also being completed for the $10M installing of distribution mains at Numbers 28 and 29 Villages, West Coast Berbice and transmission mains at Mahaicony Branch Road, also on East Coast Demerara for the total $23M.
“Drilling of a $98M new well will also commence in Cotton Tree later in 2011 to provide security of supply for the Cotton Tree Water Treatment Plant, which will ensure that there is no disruption of service in the event a problem developing,” he assured.
In addition, Ali stated that GWI has commissioned seven new water treatment plants at a cost in excess of $5 billion, which have contributed to the improvement of service and water quality to at least 150,000 people.
He said communities to benefit from the installation of the new plants include Corriverton, Queenstown and Number 47 Village in Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne); Lima on Essequibo Coast in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam); Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara); Central Ruimveldt and Sophia in Greater Georgetown and Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice).
Ali said, in further fulfillment of Government commitments, the $1.2 billion water treatment plant at Corriverton will be installed to supply water Upper Corentyne and major systems will be placed at Anna Regina, also on Essequibo Coast; Parika, East Bank Essquibo; Rosignol, West Bank Berbice; Mahdia in Potaro; Mabaruma in North West District;  Linden, Upper Demerara River and Georgetown.